Meddling Kids
by Camiya
Summary: When the 13-year-old versions of Team Seven appear in Naruto's kitchen one morning, he tries his best to keep them as unaware of the future as possible while searching for a way to send them back to their own time before all hell breaks loose.


_Summary: When the 13-year-old versions of Team Seven appear in Naruto's kitchen one morning, he tries his best to keep them as unaware of the future as possible while searching for a way to send them back to their own time before all hell breaks loose. _

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**~Chapter I: (Not) A Normal Day~**

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**U**zumaki Naruto thinks he's having a normal morning as he sips on his hot tea and reads the morning paper. Hinata and Himawari left about an hour ago to head down to the market before things got busy during lunch and Boruto is away on a mission. He admits that while he misses his family, this is some much needed alone time. He snickers at himself - _him of all people wanting alone time?! **Preposterous!**_ \- but such is the life of a thirty-four-year-old Hokage (he supposes).

The blond raises his cup to his lips once more with his fleshy left hand and grips the paper tighter in his right. He doesn't read the paper out of enjoyment, but out of the want to stay up-to-date on current matters locally. It makes him feel more involved with his fellow Konoha inhabitants.

As he blows off the steam rising from his tea and carefully goes in for a sip, there's a surge of energy in the room that blows him back against his chair. The tea splashes violently over the cup's rim and scalds his chest as it makes contact. He hisses and leaps to his feet, his legs spreading and arms raising in a defensive stance. The Kyuubi stirs from his slumber within him, roused by the thought of battle.

Before Naruto is a _freaking portal_ in the middle of his freaking kitchen and while he should focus on the potential threat(s) about to spill out of said freaking portal, all he can focus on is the large stuffed teddy bear Himawari conveniently left where it opened and is now in shreds about a meter to the left. Having some post-traumatic stress due to the last time his daughter lost her cool, Naruto deems his temporary lack of attention to the _freaking portal in the middle of his freaking kitchen_ necessary.

'Hell hath no fury like a Himawari scorned' should be the phrase -

Suddenly three figures emerge in a heap from the portal that swirls closed with such violent haste it sucks off something from one of the individual's head. Naruto inhales deeply through his nostrils and lowers his blue stare only to freeze because staring backing at him is a thirteen-year-old version of himself - and not only himself, but his teammates as well.

Immediately chaos ensues.

"_Goddamn it, Naruto!_" thirteen-year-old Sakura screeches while nailing thirteen-year-old Naruto in the forehead with a bony fist. "I specifically told you not to mess around with that scroll, you idiot!"

"Sakura-chan . . ." thirteen-year-old Naruto pouts and cradles his undoubtedly sore noggin, a feeling that adult Naruto knows all too well. Beside the two and looking so different than his older version, stands Sasuke. Seeing him sporting cobalt blue and his headband just above his brow causes an indescribable pang in Naruto's chest that he has a hard time swallowing.

"You two," Sasuke scolds, eyes glued to Naruto's as he beckons his teammates to focus. "I have a feeling I know what that scroll does now."

Thirteen-year-old Naruto and Sakura both glance towards older Naruto and gape. The first one to respond, unsurprisingly, is the younger of the two Narutos: "_Wow_, is that me?"

"Obviously, you fool," Sasuke chimes. "We must've time-traveled."

Naruto's heart swells at the familiarity between the trio and he laughs before sheepishly scratching the back of his head. The three kids look at him as if he's crazy (which he won't deny). "Yeah, you did. And while it's nice to literally look upon my past self, I prefer to do so in pictures."

"What's that mean, older me?" Naruto howls, just now getting up on his feet. Sakura rolls her eyes and Sasuke snorts, agitated.

"It means that he wants to send us back to our own time - and as soon as possible."

"Oh . . ."

Naruto (adult version) bobs his head. "Yeah, it would be for the best. After all, knowing what happens in the future could cause things to change in the past -"

"Which would change the future. It's a rippling effect." Sasuke interjects. His obsidian gaze narrows into slits. "But . . . what if we don't want to go back?"

Sakura snaps her head in Sasuke's direction. "Sasuke-kun -"

"I have way too many questions -" younger Naruto begins.

"As do I," Sasuke adds.

"God," Naruto begins and pinches the bridge of his nose. "How the hell did Kakashi-sensei put up with our annoying asses?" He crosses his arms and decides to tackle the situation head on as he's learned to do. "Listen, you're going back and I'm not going to answer any questions. Do not try to object. The future is a bright one - just know that, okay? And seeing as how you're just so well-educated on the pros and cons of time-traveling," he glances at Sasuke, "you must be aware of the fact that the more time you spend here, the more of a chance you have of jeopardizing that."

Sakura bites her lip and glances at her teammates. "Boys, listen, maybe he's right - I mean, I know it's tempting and all, but we don't know what we're getting into. Time-traveling is so forbidden we've believed all of this time it was just a myth. And if the future is as good as um . . . older Naruto is saying then why risk it? We know Konoha is in one piece still after all! Right?" She looks at the familiar yet unfamiliar - _can she add smoking hot too?_ \- and wiser version of her young blond teammate, hopeful.

Naruto has a flashback to Pein's attack but keeps his lips sealed, though thoughts of Jiraiya begin to plague his mind, as does Neji's death. He manages to croak out: "Right."

"NOW." Sasuke snaps, smoke simultaneously filling the air. It is so thick that Naruto quickly loses sight of them, yet at the same time he is snapped out of his internal reverie.

Two things happened: Naruto let his guard down and Sasuke took advantage of his moment of weakness. He needs to keep in mind that even though the three are younger versions of Team Seven, they can't be trusted. He should know better than anyone how stubborn that trio is.

"Damn it," Naruto hisses, bolting outside through the kitchen window. The smoke airs out behind him, billowing upward. Naruto looks both ways down the street before leaping onto his neighbor's roof to get a better view and sighs.

One thing is certain: the three are long gone.

Naruto then puts his hands together, pumps chakra throughout his entire being and summons twenty clones. They may be gone, but not for long.

_"Ah, funny how you got bested by a bunch of thirteen-year-olds." _

_Shut up, Kurama_.

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Sakura follows Naruto and Sasuke into a densely wooded area, her heart racing beneath her ribs. They perch on a sturdy branch and turn towards one another, her and Naruto both wide-eyed and Sasuke with his calm demeanor in-tact.

"Why did you do that, Sasuke-kun?! I think the other Naruto is right . . . We can't stay here! It's too tempting!"

"There's questions I need answered." he says, gaze meeting hers.

"But bad things can come from this! I want to know about my future, too." She places a hand over her chest where her heart is. "But some things really are just too forbidden. I mean, by knowing I can potentially screw it all up anyway!" she argues, "**_Please_**."

Naruto rolls his eyes. "There's no point in arguing with that stubborn ass, Sakura-chan."

Sasuke ignores the idiot he calls his best friend and maintains eye contact with his sole female teammate. "You always say that you believe that everything happens for a reason. This is one of those times where I do, too."

Sakura mulls over his words briefly before she bows her head in defeat. There's no talking him out of this, she can see that now. She bites her bottom lip. "Alright, Sasuke-kun. Lead the way."

"Hold up!" Naruto howls, crossing his arms. "Why does _he_ get to 'lead the way'?"

"Because the last time you did anything we ended up here," Sakura reminds him with a snort. "Your leadership skills are questionable at this point, don't you think?"

The blond purses his lips and sulks quietly to himself.

"We need to disguise ourselves. We'll have to mask our chakra as well." Sasuke states, eyeing Sakura's visage then Naruto's. "If we slip up for even a millisecond the other Naruto will be onto us."

This causes Naruto to grin sheepishly. "Future me did seem pretty bad ass, huh?"

"Ah, for Kami's sake," Sakura grumbles, tapping the base of her palm against her forehead. "You're **_so_** annoying."

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By the time the sun is starting to burn orange in the sky, Naruto has come to the conclusion that he's going to need help in capturing the younger versions of Team Seven. It hurts his pride to admit somewhat, but it's as if they just vanished off the face of the earth! If only it was because they somehow managed to find a way back to their own time . . .

However, he knows that isn't very likely.

To think this morning started off so nicely, too! Now, here he is about to pull himself bald and it's not over the mountains of paperwork littering his office floor or one of his kids driving him up the wall (for once). He'd say it's a nice relief, except in this case it's not.

The thirty-four-year-old peers across the village from his perch on Hokage Mountain, his blue eyes vibrant in the sun. He smirks as a prominent presence approaches from his flank. There is one positive in this mess though - and that's having the perfect person to aid in his search for a certain trio of brats.

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_So, this has been sitting in doc manager forever and I just wanted to get it out there. I really enjoyed writing the premise and thought I'd share. I know it's a common plot, but I wanted to give it a try. So, yeah. Hope you enjoyed. ^^_


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